RIHA - Mothers for Peace called for Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan to be allowed to meet with his people under free conditions and to be heard in Parliament. 

 

Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chairman Devlet Bahçeli's call for Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan to speak in Parliament during his group speech on October 15 and his statement that Öcalan should exercise his “right to hope” was interpreted as a historic turning point in the political arena.

 

Following this call, on February 27, Abdullah Öcalan made a call for “Peace and a Democratic Society,” and the PKK convened its congress and announced its dissolution. This development opened the door to a new process in which dialogue and peace took precedence over conflict. However, while the process has evolved into such a critical period, the continuation of severe isolation measures against Abdullah Öcalan is also creating a serious climate of distrust in the state among the people.

 

‘We want to see our leader among us under free conditions’

 

“We know that peace is very difficult, while war is much easier,” said Aynur Yılmaz, calling on all mothers to turn war into peace. And she added, “We say enough is enough. This war has been going on for 50 years, and thousands of people have lost their lives. We don’t want any mother to suffer. We believe that if our leader is given the opportunity, he will bring about an honorable peace. We mothers carry a heavy burden because we carried and raised a life inside us for nine months. That is why our pain is greater.

 

Let the war in this city end now. Our children have become addicted to drugs and are killing people for money. If peace comes, our education will also improve. Let them spend the money spent on war on peace. Our leader has been in prison for 27 years. If he still talks about peace after 27 years, if he still devotes his mind to peace, this is a great stance. If the leadership is released today, a clean and good political process will begin for this country. That is why we want our leader to be free and to stand by his people." 

 

‘We want a peaceful resolution that is not one-sided’

 

“If there is peace, perhaps the border gates will open; I will go, find my son’s bones, and build him a grave,” said Kamile Kazıcı, calling for a genuine, non-unilateral peace. Kamile Kazıcı stated, “We want peace so that mothers no longer cry, so that no one dies. They hang people in Iran, but in Turkey's prisons, they inflict cruelty worse than hanging. We want the prison doors to be opened. Let us all unite, join hands, and build an honorable peace. We have paid a heavy price. My son Mehmet Kazıcı doesn't even have a grave. This is an indescribably painful situation. The same cruelty that exists in Iran is happening here too. But here, we close our eyes and are too afraid to speak up. While peace is being discussed in Ankara, we don't want the war to continue in Amed," she said. 

 

'Despite everything, we are for peace'

 

Speaking last, Emine Korkmaz emphasized that despite all the pain, they are for peace, saying, "We have eight martyrs, but none of them have a grave. We are on the side of peace. Enough is enough! If there is peace, we will go to our loved ones. Let there be peace so that no mother cries anymore. Let us find some peace. We have cried until there are no tears left in our eyes. We want peace where everyone is together."